Feeding and arranging mechanism



Nov. 27, 1934. s. SELTZER V FEEDING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM vFiled Sept. 28, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR- Samzwl $211350), BY

TTORNEYS Nov. 27, 1934- s. SELTZER FEEDING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sfieet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1933 INVENTOR; Sam zzel Sebfger,

ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 27, 1934. s. S-ELTZER 1,982,458

FEEDING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 28, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. Z

WITNESSES: 73 INVEN TOR:

v Sazlnuel Sdiger,

Nbv. 27, 1934.

s. SELTZER 1,982,458 FEEDING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 28, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG TI FIG- IIQ /L i I 15 16 l INVENTOR:

TTORNEYS.

. I V Swizz/mi $911 54), w W

Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,982,458 FEEDING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM Samuel Seltzer, Philadelphia, Pa. Application September 28, 1933, Serial No. 691,347

13 Claims. (01. 153-1) This invention relates to feeding and arranging mechanism; and it is concerned more particularly with mechanism for feeding and arranging lugs which enter into the manufacture of separable edge fastening devices of a kind ordinarily known as Zippers.

Lugs of the kind referred to are. fashioned from metal to fiat bifurcate V-shaped configuration, and each is formed'at the angle of the V at one side thereof with an outwardly offset stud projection, and at the opposite side in line with the stud, with an indentation of a corresponding diameter. In the completed zipper strip, the lugs are arranged in spaced serial relation on a flexible tape usually of textile material with their stud projections all aligned in one direction so as'to be engageable in the indentations of correspondingly arranged lugs on a companion zipper strip in a well known manner. I

In the manufacture of zipper strips heretofore, it has been the practice to punch out the lugs and to secure them directly to one edge of the tape, these operations being successively performed by an automatic machine equipped with combined stamping and clinching elements. Zippers of much better finish and appearance can obviously be had by producing the lugs in quantity in a separate operation, and by subjecting the lugs to tumbling treatment for removal of unsightly burrs and smoothing of the out edges before they are applied to the tape. Such an alternative .method of zipper manufacture however entails arranging of the lugs for presentation to the clinching elements of an attaching machine in a definite position which will insure their attachment to the tape strip in the required order, i. e. with their side stud projections all aligned in one direction.

The present invention is directed in the main toward the provision of a simple mechanism which can be relied upon to arrange the lugs as is necessary in the alternative method of manufacture above proposed, and to feed them successively under regulative control and in the proper position to the clinching elements of the attaching machine.

In connection with the feeding and arranging mechanism having the above attributes, it is a further aim of my invention to provide means for intercepting imperfectly formed or mutilated lugs, and for ejecting them from the apparatus.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the detailed description which follows of the drawings, wherein Fig. I is a side elevation of my improved lug feeding and arranging mechanism.

Fig. II is a view showing the mechanism in plan.

Fig. III is a view showing the delivery end of the mechanism in elevation.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary cross section of the mechanism taken as indicated by the arrows IV-I V in Figs. I and II and drawn to a larger scale. 4

Fig. V is a fragmentary section taken as indicated by the arrows VV in Fig. IV.

Fig. VI is a view corresponding to Fig. IV with the moving parts of the mechanism differently positioned.

Fig. VII is a fragmentary detail section taken as indicated by the arrows VII-VII in Fig. 11.

Fig. VIII is a fragmentary perspective view of a displacing plunger forming a part of the mechanism.

Fig. IX is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the delivery raceways of the mechanism; and Fig. X is a perspective view typifying the kind of lugs for the feeding and arranging of which the mechanism is devised.

As delineated herein, my improved feeding and arranging mechanism comprises an elongate trough 11 which is supported at an inclination to the horizontal (Fig. I) for gravitational progression of 'V-shaped zipper lugs L whereof one is shown in perspective in Fig. X, from a receiving hopper 12 at the elevated left hand end of said trough toward the depressed right hand or delivery end thereof. The lugs L are promiscuous- 1y dropped into the hopper 12 under the control of a suitable tolling means not shown, and directed by the sloping sides 13 of the trough 11 through a central lengthwise slot 14 in the bottom of the latter, into the upper bight of a pair of parallel longitudinal shaft rollers 15, 16 which are arranged side by side and spaced by an interval equal to the thickness of the flat body p rtions b of the lugs. As shown in Figs. I and 11, these shaft rollers 15, 16 are journalled in bearings 17, 18 at the opposite ends of the trough 11. A pin 19 (Figs. I and II) centrally penetrating the bearing 18 and engaging aligned circumferential grooves 20, 21 respectively in the shaft, rollers 15, 16, serves both as a means to retain said rollers in the assembly and to hold them against shifting endwise relatively. At their right hand ends, the shaft rollers 15, 16 are intergeared as at 22 for rotation contrariwise with their inner surfaces moving upward as indi cated by the arrows in Figs. IVand VI, and adapted to be continuously driven by a grooved belt pulley '23 on the shaft roller 15 .at the left hand end of the mechanism. As a consequence of being concurrently rotated contrariwise as described, it will be evident that the shaft rollers 15, 16 will cause the lugs L to be jostled so that any which are devoid of side projections will obviously fall through the interval between the rollers almost immediately upon their introduction into the trough, while irregular, misshapen or excessively thick lugs will be rejected and prevented from entering between the rollers. All the perfect lugs on the other hand will be caused to right themselves, i. e., assume an upright position in suspension with their flat body portions b pendant in the interval between the rollers 15, 16 and their side projections p resting on one or the other of said rollers as shown in Figs. II,-IV, VI and VII. While the rotation of the shaft rollers 15 and 16 is effective in promoting the gravitational progression of the lugs it is also effective in controlling such progression to preclude segregation of the lugs and choking of the mechanism.

Somewhat inward of the right hand low end of the trough 11 the shaft rollers 15 and 16 are formed with circumferential clearing grooves 25 and 26 respectively, said grooves being spaced one from the other and being of a width to clear the side projections p of the lugs L. Those lugs L whereof the side projections p rest on the shaft roller 15 are released to fall from the trough 11 one' at a time upon registrywith the clearing groove 25 in that roller; while those lugs which have their side projections resting on the roller 16 are released to drop from the trough, likewise one at a time, upon registry with the clearing groove 26 of the latter roller, at which groove they are stopped by a shoulder 15a on the roller 15. Upon being released as just explained, the lugs L fall through vertical apertured guides 27, 28 by which they are directed into the grooves 29, 30 of underlying downwardly-curving raceways 31, 32 arranged in line with the circumferential clearing grooves 25, 26 respectively of the two shaft rollers 15, 16. These raceways 31, 32 are secured at their receiving ends to a bracket 33 (Figs. IV, V and VI) which is screw attached to the trough 11; and said raceways serve to conduct the lugs to two separate machines (not shown) by which the lugs are clinched onto the tapes of the zipper strips. From Figs. IV and VI it will be observed that the guides 27, 28 are shaped to snugly fit upward into the lower bight of the shaft rollers 15, 16, and moreover, from Figs. V and IX, that the vertical apertures 35 of said guides are so proportioned as to prevent the lugs L from toppling over during their fall, and to insure their being received in upright position in the grooves of the raceways 31, 32. As shown in Fig. V, the grooves 29, 30 of the raceways 31, 32 are cross-sectionally configured to conform tothe outline of the lugs, the central upwardly tapered longitudinal tongues 36, 3'7 thereof being straddled by the leg portions ofthe flat lug bodies b.

As the lugs L are successively received in the raceways 29, 30, they are displaced, from beneath the shaft. rollers 15, 16 by a pair of reciprocating plungers 38, 39 which are slidably supported in the frontal flange 40 of the trough 11, see Figs. IV and VI. The inner ends 41 of the plungers 38, 39 (Figs. IV, VI and VII) are machined to a cross sectional configuration corresponding in outline to that of the lugs L for capacity to slide through correspondingly shaped lateral apertures 42 in the guides 27, 28 and to slidingly fit over the central tongues 34, 35 of the raceways 31, 32. As the newly discharged lugs L are advanced by the plungers 38, 39, they push those ahead of them forward in solid mass formation in the raceways 31, 32, the lugs constituting these masses having their flat bodies b contacting, with the side projection p of one lug nesting into the aligned spot depression or recess in the back of the next, also as shown in Figs. IV and VI.

The means provided for constantly reciprocating the two plungers 38, 39 include a longi-' tudinal rock shaft 43 which is journalled in spaced bearings 44, 45 on the flange 40 of the trough. In the interval between these bearings 44, 4 5, the rock shaft has attached to it an arm 46 which is subject to a helical tension spring 47, and which engages between spaced collars 48, 49 respectively on the outer ends of the plungers 38, 39. By action of the spring 46a finger 50' on the right hand end of the rock shaft 43 (Figs. I, II and III) is maintained in contact with a rotary actuating cam 51 on the corresponding end of the shaft roller 16.

If, incident to their fall through the guides 27, 28, any lugs L should be caught as the plungers 38, 39 are advancing, the latter can yield under the action of the spring 47 without attendant injury either to the lugs or the mechanism, the lugs so caught being freed upon subsequent retraction of the plungers to complete their fall to the raceways 31, 32.

For the purpose of dislodging imperfect and misshapen lugs intercepted by and held in the guides 27, 28, there is provided a pair of ejectors 52, 53, (Figs. IV, V and VI) which are fashioned to angular configuration from wire with spring coils 54, 55 and respectively secured by screws 56 to the bracket 33 on the trough 11. The upturned ends 58, 59 of the ejectors 52, 53 reach up through openings in the guides 27, 28 to a level slightly below the plungers 38, 39 so as to be normally clear of the latter as shown in Figs. IV and V. Thus by merely pushing upon the ejectors 52, 53 from beneath, imperfect and misshapen lugs caught in the guides 2'7, 28 can be readily and quickly dislodged and removed from above the trough 11.

As shown in Fig. I the trough 11 is supported at its receiving end by a rigidly attached pendant arm 60 which is pivotally connected at 61 to a positionally fixed bracket 62; while the delivering end of said trough is supported by a turn buckle 63 having pivotal connection at the top with the trough at-64 and at the bottom with another positionally fixed bracket 65. Accordingly, by adjusting the turn buckle 63, the angularity of the trough 11 may be varied to correspondingly vary the rate of progression and feeding of the lugs L for proper synchronization of the mechanism with the lug attaching machines.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs promiscuously dropped into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; and raceways adapted to receive the lugs respectively released by" the rollers at their clearing grooves and to conduct theilugs as received to different machines for attachment to the tapes of the zipper strips.

2. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged sideby side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the fiat body portions of the lugs; said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same timecontrol gravitational progression of lugs promiscuously dropped into the bight of the rollers at the high end of the latter toward the'spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; raceways adapted to recelve the lugs'respectively released by the rollers at their clearing grooves and to conduct the lugs as received to different machines for attachment to the tapes of the zipper strips; and means whereby the angularity of the rolls may be adjusted to vary the rate of progression and delivery of the lugs by the mechanism.

, 3. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising an elongate longitudinally-inclined trough with sloping sides into which the lugs are promiscuously dropped at the high end; a pair of coextensive shaft rollers underlying a lengthwise slot in the'trough and arranged side by side with an interval between them correspondng in width to the thickness of the flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotatingthe rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs received in the bight of said rollers from the high end. of the'trough toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; and raceways adapted to receive the lugs released respectively by the rollers at the clearing grooves aforesaid and to conduct the lugs as received to diflerent machines for attachment to. the tapes of the zipper strips.

4. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs placed into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; raceways for respectively receiving the lugs released to drop upright from the rollers at their clearing grooves,- said raceways having grooves cross sectionally configured to retain the lugs upright as received; and means to progressively advance the lugs in the raceways to machines for attachment to the tapes of the zippers.

5. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side' by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progressionof the lugs placed into the upper bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward thespaced circumferential clearing grooves afore said; vertically apertured guides fitting the lower bight of the rollers to prevent the lugs from toppling over upon being released to drop upright from the rollers respectively at the clearing grooves of the latter; raceways with grooves cross sectionally configuredto retain the lugs received upright respectively from the guides aforesaid; and means to progressively advance the lugs along said raceways to separate machines for attachment to the tapes of the zippers.

6. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zip per lugs and the like comprising, a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the flat body portion of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs placed into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; raceways, with grooves cross-sectionally configured to retain the lugs dropped upright from the rollers respectively at the clearing grooves of the latter and to conduct the lugs to separate machines for attachment to the zipper tapes; and reciprocating displacing plungers cross-sectionally configured to the outline of the lugs and respectively reciprocative in the grooves of the raceways to progressively advance the lugs therealong. v

7. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the fiat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the-rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs placed into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; raceways with grooves cross-sectionally configured to yieldingly urging them inward and connections for positively drawing them outward.

8. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a. pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the-flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively spaced circumferential clearing grooves respec-- tively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs placed into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; raceways with grooves cross-sectionally configured to retain the lugs dropped upright from the rollers respectively at the clearing grooves of the latter and to conduct the lugs to separate machines for at tachment to the zipper tapes; displacing plungers cross-sectionally configured to the outline of the lugs and respectively slidable in the grooves of the raceway to progressively advance the lugs therealong; and means for actuating the plungers concurrently including an arm fulcrumed on a rock shaft, a spring influencing said arm to cause the plungers to be moved yieldingly inward; and means for rocking the shaft against the pull of the spring to positively retract the plungers.

9. Mechanism for feeding and arran ing zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinallyinclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickne's of the fiat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relativelyspaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs placed into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; raceways with grooves cross-sectionally configured to retain the lugs dropped upright from the rollers cooperative with the finger to cause the plungers to be positively retracted.

l0. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the sametime control gravitational progression of the lugs placed into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; vertically-apertured guides to prevent the lugs from toppling over upon being released to drop upright from the rollers respectively of the clearing grooves in the latter; grooved raceways to receive the lugs upright from the guides aforesaid and to conduct them to separate machines for attachment to the tapes of the zippers, means to progressively advance the lugs along said raceways and means accessi ble from beneath the raceways for upwardly ejecting misshapen lugs caught in the guideways aforesaid. a

11. Mechanism for feeding and arranging ziper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs placed into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; vertically-apertured guides to prevent the lugs from toppling over upon being released to drop upright from the rollers respectively at the clearing grooves of the latter; grooved raceways to receive the lugs upright from the guides aforesaid and to conduct them to separate machines for attachment to the tapes of the zippers;

means to progressively advance the lugs along said raceways;- and means accessible from beneath the raceways for dislodging misshapen lugs caught in the guideways aforesaid in tha form of individually-associated normally retracted ejectors adapted to be thrust upward into the guides.

12. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs and the like comprising a pair of elongate longitudinally-inclined shaft rollers arranged sideby side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of flat body portions of the lugs, said rollers having relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers contrariwise with their inner surfaces moving upwards to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of lugs promiscuously dropped into the bight of the rollers at the high ends of the latter toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves, while rejecting imperfect or mutilated lugs; and raceways adapted to receive the perfect lugs respectively released to drop from the rollers at the clearing grooves of the latter and to conduct such lugs, as received, to diflerent machines for attachment to the tapes of the zipper strips.

13. Mechanism for feeding and arranging zipper lugs. and the like comprising an elongate longitudinally-inclined trough having a longitudinal slot and sloping sides into which the lugs are promiscuously dropped at-the high end; a pair of coextensive shaft rollers underlying the lengthwise slot in the trough and arranged side by side with an interval between them corresponding in width to the thickness of the fiat body portions of the lugs, saidrollers having 139 relatively-spaced circumferential clearing grooves respectively near their low ends; means for constantly rotating the rollers to assist and at the same time control gravitational progression of the lugs received in the bight of said rollers from the high end of the trough toward the spaced circumferential clearing grooves aforesaid; grooved raceways adapted to receive the lugs released respectively by the rollers at the clearing grooves aforesaid and to conduct the lugs as V9 received to different machines for attachment to the tapes of the zipper strips; and means whereby the angularity of the trough may be adjusted to vary the .rate of progression and delivery of the lugs by the mechanism including a pivotal support for the low end of the trough, and a vertically regulatable support for the high end of the trough.

SAMUEL SEL'IZER. 

